BHS speech and debate students tied a squad record by qualifying 14 students to the National Speech and Debate Association national tournament June 11-17 in Phoenix. The team, which qualified at competitions held at Harrisburg Feb. 17-18 and Sioux Falls Jefferson Feb. 26, includes students who compete in public forum, Lincoln Douglas, and congressional debate, individual speech events, and oral interpretation.
In order to qualify for national competition, students needed to place first or second at the Northern South Dakota District contest.
National qualifiers include: the teams of Alex and Albert Shore and Igen Nyawanda and Rowan Abdel Kareem in public forum debate; Xander Hof, Trisha Sharan, and Nancy Yang in congressional debate; Emily Hua in domestic extemporaneous speaking; Tyler Livermont and Kaitlyn Doom in duet interp; Olivia Anderson and Gavin DuBray in humorous interp; Nic Schran in program oral interp; and Nana Yaa Dwomoh in dramatic interp.
Students who competed at the national qualifier, front tow from left: Tyler Livermont, Kaitlyn Doom, Rowan Abdel Kareem, Nana Yaa Dwomoh and Olivia Anderson; Row 2: Christina Messerli, Sampada Nepal and Emily Hua; Row 3: Mallory Wells, Amanda Martin, Madelyn Berkenhoff, Igen Nyawanda and Trisha Sharan; Back row: Nic Schran, Martin Realpe Tobar, Gavin DuBray, Xander Hof, Albert Shore and Alex Shore.
